Navigating teacher agency, learner autonomy, and parental motivations in early English education: Insights from Korea’s 7-year-old English exam
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This qualitative study investigates how English kindergarten teachers in South Korea navigate theintersecting pressures of parental expectations, institutional mandates, and children’s developmentalneeds within the context of the high-stakes 7-year-old English exam. Using semi-structuredinterviews with two experienced teachers, the study examines three interconnected dimensions:teacher agency, learner autonomy, and parental motivations. Results indicate that teacher autonomyis often constrained by standardized curricula and parental demands, limiting opportunities forcreative, child-centered instruction. Learner autonomy and intrinsic motivation are suppressed byperformance-oriented practices, peer comparison, and parental perfectionism, contributing to stressand reduced engagement. Parental motivations extend beyond linguistic proficiency, encompassingsocial status, competitiveness, and long-term security, which influence classroom practices andpedagogical decisions. These findings highlight the ethical, emotional, and pedagogicalcomplexities inherent in early English education in Korea. Implications for policy, curriculumdesign, teacher professional development, and equitable access to quality early language educationare discussed.
Abstract
This qualitative study investigates how English kindergarten teachers in South Korea navigate theintersecting pressures of parental expectations, institutional mandates, and children’s developmentalneeds within the context of the high-stakes 7-year-old English exam. Using semi-structuredinterviews with two experienced teachers, the study examines three interconnected dimensions:teacher agency, learner autonomy, and parental motivations. Results indicate that teacher autonomyis often constrained by standardized curricula and parental demands, limiting opportunities forcreative, child-centered instruction. Learner autonomy and intrinsic motivation are suppressed byperformance-oriented practices, peer comparison, and parental perfectionism, contributing to stressand reduced engagement. Parental motivations extend beyond linguistic proficiency, encompassingsocial status, competitiveness, and long-term security, which influence classroom practices andpedagogical decisions. These findings highlight the ethical, emotional, and pedagogicalcomplexities inherent in early English education in Korea. Implications for policy, curriculumdesign, teacher professional development, and equitable access to quality early language educationare discussed.